Swivel top paint roller with adjustable handle

ABSTRACT

A paint roller intended for use in the painting of walls and ceilings and including an axle adapted to have a paint roller rotatably supported thereon with the ends of the axle secured by brackets to the end of a handle, the point of securement between the handle and the bracket being a swivel joint to permit rocking movement of the roller in opposite directions of the axis of the handle in a plane defined by the handle axis and the axle axis, the length of the handle being adjustable to accommodate the painting of ceilings of various heights without the use of a ladder.

United States Patent Cansdale, Sr.

SWIVEL TOP PAINT ROLLER WITH ADJUSTABLE HANDLE William H. Cansdale, Sr.,183 N. 3rd St., Tecumseh, Nebr. 68450 Filed: Dec. 26, 1973 Appl. No.:428,316

Inventor:

U.S. Cl. l5/230.l1,15/144 R, 15/144 B, I 403/109, 403/115, 403/327 Int.Cl. 825g 3/38, 844d 3/28, Fl6b 7/12 Field 01' Search 15/143 B, 144 R,144 A, 15/144 B, 27, 230.11

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 8/1884 Hubbard 15/144 AU X 6/1963Schroeder 15/143 B 1/1969 Willig 15/144 R 1 Feb. 18, 1975 3,737,1876/1973 Pryor [5/144 R X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Sweden N 15/144B Primary ExaminerDaniel Blum [57] ABSTRACT A paint roller intended foruse in the painting of walls and ceilings and including an axle adaptedto have a paint roller rotatably supported thereon with the ends of theaxle secured by brackets to the end of a handle, the point of securementbetween the handle and the bracket being a swivel joint to permitrocking movement of the roller in opposite directions of the axis of thehandle in a plane defined by the handle axis and the axle axis, thelength of the handle being adjustable to accommodate the painting ofceilings of various heights without the use of a ladder.

3 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures SWIVEL TOP PAINT ROLLER WITH ADJUSTABLEHANDLE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention Thisinvention relates generally to painting devices and more particularly toa novel paint roller swivelly attached to a handle with the handle beingadjustable in length to accomodate various heights of ceilings and thelike without requiring the use of a ladder.

2. Description of the Prior Art One of the major problems encountered bythose doing painting and using paint rollers is the difficulty ofpainting ceilings or the upper portions of a wall in that the samenormally require the use of a ladder to elevate the individual doing thepainting so as to be able to engage the paint roller with the surface tobe painted. The use of a ladder is time consuming and provides for onlya limited work area within the reach of the individual on the ladderbefore the ladder has to be moved to a new location.

A further difficulty encountered when painting ceilings and the like isthe need for constantly having to change the position, at which theindividual is holding the paint roller such that the roller always has aline of contact along its circumference with the surface being paintedin order to evenly apply paint thereto. Thus, when an individual isreaching outwardly from a ladder or when standing on the floor and usinga long handle for the paint roller, it is necessary that the individualalways be in substantial alignment with the strip of surface beingcoated by the paint from the roller as should the individual reach toofar out of such alignment then the axis of the roller will be disposedat an angle to the surface of the ceiling such that there will be nocomplete line of contact between the roller and the ceiling and thus apoor application of paint to the ceiling surface will result.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention recognizes the difficultyin the painting of ceilings and upper portions of walls and the likeandprovides a novel solution thereto for the painting of the samewithout use of a ladder and which greatly expands the area which anindividual may paint without having to move or change his location andwhile always maintaining a complete line of contact between the paintroller and the surface being painted. This is provided by the rollerbeing pivotally mounted to the handle for rocking movement about theaxis of the handle in a direction along the axis of the roller and inthe plane defined by the roller axis and the handle axis such that thehandle may be disposed at an angle to the roller such that an individualmay stand to either side of the roller while painting a surface of theceiling or the like with the roller always being in complete contactwith the surface being painted.

It is a feature of the present invention to provide a paint rollerhaving an extension handle associated therewith for readily changing thelength of the extension for the painting of ceilings and upper wallportions of different heights above the level of the individual doingthe painting.

A further feature of the present invention provides a paint roller whichis pivotable relative to the handle so as to permit an individual tocover a larger area of surface to be painted with the roller alwaysmaintaining full contact with such surface and without the individualhaving to change his position or stance on the floor such that thehandle may be disposed at various angles to the axis of the rollerduring the painting process.

The provision of a swivel top paint roller having an adjustable handle,such as briefly outlined above, and possessing the stated features andadvantages constitutes the principal features and advantages ofthepresent invention. The provision of a swivel top paint roller having anadjustable handle which is relatively simple in its construction andwhich therefore may be readily manufactured at a relatively low cost andby simple manufacturing methods; one which is possessed of few parts andwhich therefore is unlikely to get out of order; one which is rugged anddurable and which therefore may be guaranteed by the manufacturer towithstand many years of intended usage; one which is easy to use andreliable and efficient in operation; one which may be readily cleaned byan individual after the painting has been completed so as to be readyfor further usage; and one which, otherwise, is well adapted to performthe services required of it, are among the desirable features andadvantages which have been borne in mind in the production anddevelopment of the present invention.

Other features and advantages of this invention will be apparent duringthe course of the following descriptron.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawings forming apart of this specification, and in which like reference characters.

are employed to designate like parts throughout the same:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a paint roller with the handle being ofan elongated adjusted length;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view of the ball andsocket connection between the paintroller and the handle with the axisof the roller disposed normal to the axis of the handle;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but with the axis of the rollerdisposed at an angle to the axis of the handle;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevational view of a portion ofthe telescoping handle partially broken away to illustrate interiordetails thereof; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the retaining memberassociated with each handle section for retaining the same in anextended position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings indetail there is illustrated a preferred form of a paint roller deviceconstructed in accordance with the principles of the present inventionand designated generally in its entirety by the reference numeral 10 andwhich is comprised of an elongated roller 11 secured by a bracket 12 toa socket 13 which is rotatably secured to a ball joint 14 on the top endof the uppermost section of a handle 15.

The roller 11 is of a conventional elongated hollow cylindrical shapemanufactured of any suitable material and having any desired surfacecomposition adapted for applying paint to a surface to be painted. Thebracket 12. includes an axle 21 extending axially through the roller 11and about which the roller is mounted for rotation, the axle extendingfrom opposite ends of the roller and formed with a generally U-shapedbend 22 at each end thereof and with-a pair of free ends 23 extendingtherefrom and terminating adjacent each other in the formofjuxtapositioned stems 24 which are secured together in the socket 13.j

The socket 13 is of a cylindrical configuration having a top surface 31,cylindrical side walls 32, and a bottom surface 33. Formed in bottomsurface 33 is a diametrically extending rectangular recess 34 which isdisposed in the plane defined by bracket 12, there being disposedcentrally of slot 34 and opening inwardly of bottom surface 35 of theslot a semi-spherical recess 36 of a diameter greater than the width ofthe slot 34. Stems 24 are secured in socket l3 and project outwardly oftop surface 31.

The ball joint 14 is comprised of an axial elongated rectangularlyshaped shank 41 having opposed parallel side surfaces 42 of a widthadapted to engage the side surfaces of slot 34 to guide the socket 13 ina manner as will be later described. The shank 42 is disposedconcentrically on the top surface 51 of the handle 15 and extendsoutwardly therefrom to terminate in an integrally formed sphericalmember 43 of a diameter to be received in recess 36 in socket 31 in acaptive manner to provide for rocking type rotation of socket 13thereabout.

It is seen from FIGS. 1-3 inclusive that socket 31 is tiltable inopposite directions about ball 43 along a plane defined by the axis ofthe handle 15 and the axis of the recess 34 as the side members 42 ofshank 41 only permit such tilting type movement. It is thus seen thatthe roller 11 is swivelly connected to handle 15 for rocking or tiltingtype movement thereabout in the plane defined by the bracket 12 andhandle axis 15 such that the handle may be disposed at an angle to theaxis of the roller with the circumference of the roller still providinga complete line of contact between the roller andthe surface beingpainted. [n this way an individual may stand to either side of theroller to use the same in a manner to increase the area of surface to bepainted without the individual having to move his location or change hisstance of position.

Referring now to FIGS. 1, 4 and there is shown the details of thetelescoping handle which is formed of a series of tubular telescopicsections 52, 53 and 54, each of the sections being ofa hollow tubularelongated configuration. Section 52 includes top end 51 and has a bottomend 55 which is inserted into the top end 56 of larger diameter tubingsection 53 which likewise has a bottom end which is inserted into thetop endportion 57 of yet larger diameter tubing section 54 having abottom end 58 which is closed.

Disposed adjacent the top ends of sections 53 and 54 and formed in aside wall thereof is an elongated inverted L-shaped slot 60 having'abase 61 and a leg 62. Disposed adjacent each bottom end of each of thetube sections 52 and 53 is a spring loaded retaining member 64 disposedinwardly of the tubing and having an actuating member 65 projectingoutwardly through an aperture 66 provided in the side wall of thetubing, the actuating member being connected to one end of an operatinglever 67 having the opposite end 68 thereof secured to the interior wallsurface of the tubing such that the actuating member is resilientlymounted in the apf erture 66 and is movable from an operative positionprojecting outwardly of said tubing to an inward inoperative positiondesignated by phantom configuration in FIG 5 and identified by referencenumeral 70 wherein the actuating member has been pressed radiallyinwardly of the tubing.

In operation of the telescoping handle 15, the desired number ofsections are telescoped relative to each other to arrive at the desiredoverall length for the handle, each section actuating member 65 beingengaged in slot in a manner to slide through base slot 61 after which aslight turning of the section results in the actuating member beingretained in leg portion 62 of the slot to thus retain the telescopicposition ofthe handle. For collapsing the handle, actuating member isdepressed inwardly of the sections to free -the same from the associatedslot 60 after which the sections are telescopically movable relative toeach other to a collapsed position.

It is to be understood that the form of this invention herewith shownand described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, andthat this invention is not to be limited to the exact arrangement ofparts shown in the accompanying drawings or described in thisspecification as various changes in the details of construction as toshape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention, the scope of the novelconcepts thereof, or the scope of the sub-joined claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed 1. A paint rollermechanism for supporting a paint roller at various angles relative tothe axis of the handle and at various elevations relative to the levelof the surface on which an individual using the same is standing suchthat ceilings and upper portions of walls may be readily painted withoutrequiring the use of a ladder or the like, the mechanism comprising:

an axle adapted to have a cylindrical paint applying roller mountedthereon for rotation about its cylindrical axis, the ends of the axleprojecting from opposite ends of the roller;

a pair of U-shaped bracket members each associated with one end of saidaxle and disposed in confronting relationship with'each other and eachhaving one end secured to an associated end of said axle with theopposite end defining a free end extending in spaced relation to theside of the roller, said free end terminating in stem portions disposedadjacent to each other and extending generally normal to the axis ofsaid axle and approximately centrally thereof;

a socket member having a top surface, side wall surfaces, and a bottomsurface with said stern members mounted in said top surface andprojecting substantially axially outwardly therefrom;

a recess including a spherical portion formed inwardly of said socketmember and opening at said bottom surface thereof;

a spherical ball member rotatably retained in said spherical portion forrotation relative thereto;

a shank member having one end formed integrally with said ball memberand projecting radially outwardly therefrom;

a telescoping handle member having a top end connected to saidprojecting end of said shank member and having a bottom end spacedlongitudinally from said top end; and

said recess including means cooperative with said ball and shank membersfor guiding a rocking swiveling movement of said roller relative to saidhandle axis in a plane defined by said handle axis and said axle axiswhereby said roller is swivelable in opposite directions about said ballmember within said plane of movement such that the handle member may bedisposed at an angle to the roller axis with the roller surface stillmaintaining a continuous line of contact from end-to-end thereof with asurface being painted thereby.

2. The paint roller mechanism as set forth in claim 1 wherein said meansguiding movement of said socket relative to said ball and shank memberscomprises a diametrically disposed rectangularly shaped recess portionformed in said socket bottom surface and extending out of the bottomsurface thereof, said rectangular recess portion having its longitudinalaxis disposed in the plane defined by said axle, said bracket and saidstem portions, said rectangular recess portion provided with parallelspaced apart side walls, and said shank having a pair of flattened sidesurfaces being spaced apart a distance slightly less than the width ofsaid rectangular recess portion and adapted to be disposed in adjacentjuxtapositioned with associated side walls thereof so as to guide saidsocket as it is rocked about said ball member.

3. The paint roller mechanism as set forth in claim 2 wherein saidtelescoping handle member is comprised of at least three elongatedhollow tubular section members defining a first section, a secondsection, and a third section, said first section including said top endconnected to said shank and having a bottom end portion of said secondsection which is of a larger diameter than said first section, saidsecond section having a bottom end portion which is telescopicallyreceived in a top end portion of said third section which is of a largerdiameter than said second section, each of said second and thirdsections provided with an inverted longitudi nally extending L-shapedslot having a longitudinally extending base portion and a circumferallyextending leg portion which is disposed adjacent to and parallel to saidrespective top ends of said sections, said first and second sectionsprovided adjacent said bottom ends thereof with a retaining memberprojecting radially through an opening in said section side wall surfaces and adapted to engage a respective one of said slots when saidsections are in extended telescopic rela-

1. A paint roller mechanism for supporting a paint roller at variousangles relative to the axis of the handle and at various elevationsrelative to the level of the surface on which an individual using thesame is standing such that ceilings and upper portions of walls may bereadily painted without requiring the use of a ladder or the like, themechanism comprising: an axle adapted to have a cylindrical paintapplying roller mounted thereon for rotation about its cylindrical axis,the ends of the axle projecting from opposite ends of the roller; a pairof U-shaped bracket members each associated with one end of said axleand disposed in confronting relationship with each other and each havingone end secured to an associated end of said axle with the opposite enddefining a free end extending in spaced relation to the side of theroller, said free end terminating in stem portions disposed adjacent toeach other and extending generally normal to the axis of said axle andapproximately centrally thereof; a socket member having a top surface,side wall surfaces, and a bottom surface with said stem members mountedin said top surface and projecting substantially axially outwardlytherefrom; a recess including a spherical portion formed inwardly ofsaid socket member and opening at said bottom surface thereof; aspherical ball member rotatably retained in said spherical portion forrotation relative thereto; a shank member having one end formedintegrally with said ball member and projecting radially outwardlytherefrom; a telescoping handle member having a top end connected tosaid projecting end of said shank member and having a bottom end spacedlongitudinally from said top end; and said recess including meanscooperative with said ball and shank members for guiding a rockingswiveling movement of said roller relative to said handle axis in aplane defined by said handle axis and said axle axis whereby said rolleris swivelable in opposite directions about said ball member within saidplane of movement such that the handle member may be disposed at anangle to the roller axis with the roller surface still maintaining acontinuous line of contact from end-to-end thereof with a surface beingpainted thereby.
 2. The paint roller mechanism as set forth in claim 1wherein said means guiding movement of said socket relative to said balland shank members comprises a diametrically disposed rectangularlyshaped recess portion formed in said socket bottom surface and extendingout of the bottom surface thereof, said rectangular recess portionhaving its longitudinal axis disposed in the plane defined by said axle,said bracket and said stem portions, said rectangular recess portionprovided with parallel spaced apart side walls, and said shank having apair of flattened side surfaces being spaced apart a distance slightlyless than the width of said rectangular recess portion and adapted to bedisposed in adjacent juxtapositioned with associated side walls thereofso as to guide said socket as it is rocked about said ball member. 3.The paint roller mechanism as set forth in claim 2 wherein saidtelescoping handle member is comprised of at least three elongatedhollow tubular section members defining a first section, a secondsection, and a third section, said first section including said top endconnected to said shank and having a bottom end portion of said secondsection which is of a larger diameter thaN said first section, saidsecond section having a bottom end portion which is telescopicallyreceived in a top end portion of said third section which is of a largerdiameter than said second section, each of said second and thirdsections provided with an inverted longitudinally extending L-shapedslot having a longitudinally extending base portion and a circumferallyextending leg portion which is disposed adjacent to and parallel to saidrespective top ends of said sections, said first and second sectionsprovided adjacent said bottom ends thereof with a retaining memberprojecting radially through an opening in said section side wallsurfaces and adapted to engage a respective one of said slots when saidsections are in extended telescopic relationship relative to each other.